Panel system for forming poured concrete walls

ABSTRACT

A panel system for forming poured concrete walls. The system includes a first panel having a top, a bottom and a planar side lying in a first plane. A second panel also has a top, a bottom and a planar side lying in a second plane. A brick ledge form includes first and second adjacent sections, each section having a top and bottom surface. The bottom surface of the first section of the brick ledge form is secured to the top of the first panel such that the second section of the brick ledge form lies in a plane generally perpendicular to the first plane of the first panel. The bottom of the second panel is then positioned on the top surface of the second section of the brick ledge form so that the second plane of the second panel is positioned in a plane parallel to the first plane, but spaced apart from the first plane by a predetermined distance equal to the width of a conventional brick.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a panel system for formingpoured concrete walls and, more particularly, to such a system forforming a brick ledge.

II. Description of Related Art

There are many previously known panel systems for forming pouredconcrete walls. Furthermore, a number of these previously known systemsutilize reusable aluminum panels.

In these previously known aluminum panel systems, the panels aregenerally rectangular in shape having a top, a bottom and twospaced-apart sides. Aluminum framing members are provided around theperiphery of the panel, and typically one or more cross braces extendlaterally and/or longitudinally along the panel. An aluminum sheet issecured to one side of the framing members so that one side of the panelis planar. The aluminum panels, furthermore, are detachably lockedtogether to create the form used for pouring the concrete wall. Afterthe concrete wall has set, the panels are removed from each other andthe poured wall and thereafter reused.

Many buildings, and particularly residential homes, include walkoutbasements. In these situations, at least a portion of the pouredconcrete wall is oftentimes covered with brick for aesthetic purposes.Furthermore, the amount of brick used on the exterior surface of thesepoured concrete walls will vary as a function of the amount of thepoured concrete wall that would be exposed by the contour of the landbut for the brick.

In order to support the brick on the exterior surface of the pouredconcrete walls, it has been previously necessary to create a brick ledgeon the poured concrete wall which is equal in width to the width of aconventional brick, i.e. approximately four inches. The actual verticalposition of the brick ledge along the panel will, of course, varydepending on the land contour around the poured concrete wall.Traditionally, since brick is much more expensive than concrete, thebrick ledge is formed at or slightly below the level of the land.

In order to form these previously known brick ledges, Styrofoam, lumber,plastic, treated cardboard or the like is typically screwed, nailed orotherwise secured to the inside of the outer concrete forming panel sothat the lower edge of the material is positioned at the desired levelof the brick ledge. Consequently, during a concrete pouring operation,the Styrofoam, lumber, etc. used to form the brick ledge displaces theconcrete during the concrete pouring operation in the desired fashion.

A primary disadvantage of this previously known method for forming brickledges, however, is that it is time consuming and difficult to attachthe wood, Styrofoam or the like to the aluminum panels in order to formthe brick ledge. This, of course, increases the overall constructioncosts for forming the poured concrete wall.

A still further disadvantage of these previously known methods forcreating a brick ledge in a poured concrete wall is that the materialsused to form the ledge, i.e. the lumber, Styrofoam, plastic, treatedcardboard and/or the like, increase the material costs for the panelsystem. Furthermore, these materials used to create the brick ledgetypically cannot be reused in subsequent concrete pouring operationsand, instead, are simply discarded. As such, the material costs of thesematerials directly increase the cost of forming the concrete wall withthe brick edge.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention provides an aluminum panel forming system whichovercomes all of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the previouslyknown systems.

In brief, the panel forming system of the present invention comprises afirst and second panel, both of which are generally rectangular inshape. Furthermore, each panel includes outer framing members around theperiphery of the panel while an aluminum sheet is secured across oneside of the framing members so that the aluminum sheet for each panellies in a predetermined plane with respect to its panel.

A brick ledge form includes both a first and second adjacent section,each of which are generally planar. Furthermore, each section of thebrick ledge form includes an upper surface and a bottom surface.

The bottom surface of the first section of the brick ledge form issecured to the top of the first or lower panel so that the secondsection of the brick ledge form extends laterally outwardly from andlies in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of the aluminumsheet on the first panel. Thereafter, the bottom of the second panel ispositioned on the top surface of the second section of the brick ledgeform. In doing so, the plane of the aluminum sheet on the second panellies in a plane parallel to, but spaced away from, the plane of thealuminum sheet on the first panel by a predetermined distance. Thispredetermined distance corresponds to the width of a conventional brick,typically about four inches.

The vertical length of the first and second panels will vary dependingupon the desired vertical positioning of the brick ledge form relativeto the bottom of the poured concrete wall. Typically, however, theoverall total height of both the first and second panels is a presetamount, for example nine feet.

In a conventional fashion, a generally rectangular interior concreteforming panel is positioned relative to the first and second panels sothat the plane of the interior panel is parallel to, but spaced inwardlyfrom, both the plane of the first panel as well as the plane of thesecond panel. The space in between the interior panel and the firstpanel, however, is greater than the space in between the interior paneland the second panel by the predetermined amount corresponding to thewidth of a conventional brick. The interior panel is then secured toboth the first and second panels by conventional ties in order tocomplete the concrete pouring panel system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A better understanding of the present invention will be had uponreference to the following detailed description, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a building constructed by usingpreferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken alone line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevated view of the preferred embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded elevational view of a preferredembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the preferred embodimentof the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference first to FIGS. 3 and 5, a portion of a panel system 10for forming poured concrete walls is shown and includes both an outerpanel assembly 12 as well as an inner panel 14. As described in greaterdetail hereinafter, the outer panel assembly 12 and inner panel 14 arespaced apart from each other thus forming a cavity 16 therebetween. Thiscavity is designed to receive concrete during a wall pouring operation.

The outer panel assembly 12 is positioned on the exterior of a buildingrelative to the inner panel 14 and includes a first panel 20 and asecond panel 22. The first panel 20 includes a top 24, bottom 26 andspaced-apart and parallel sides 28. The panel 20 includes a plurality ofaluminum frame members 30 which extend around the periphery of the panel20 and define the rectangular shape and size of the panel 20.Additionally, one or more cross members 32, also made of aluminum,typically extend between the aluminum frame members 30 to rigidify andstrengthen the panel 20.

An aluminum sheet 36 is secured across one side of the panel framingmembers 30 and cross members 34 so that the panel 36 lies in apredetermined first plane. Furthermore, in use, the panel 36 ispositioned such that one side of the sheet 36 faces the cavity 16 whichreceives the poured concrete.

The second panel 22 is essentially identical to the first panel 20except for the vertical height of the second panel 22 and includes a top44, bottom 46 and spaced-apart sides 48. Consequently, the second panel22 also includes aluminum frame members 40 which extend around the outerperiphery of the panel 22 and define both the shape and size of thepanel 22. Cross members 42, also made of aluminum, typically extendeither between the frame members 40, or between other cross members 42,to rigidify and strengthen the second panel 22. An aluminum sheet 45 issecured across one side of the frame members 40 and cross members 42such that the aluminum sheet 45 lies in a predetermined plane. One sideof this aluminum sheet 44 faces the interior cavity 16.

Although the first panel 20 and second panel 22 are similar to eachother, they may vary in height relative to each other, i.e. the distancebetween their respective tops and bottoms. However, the combined heightof both the first panel 20 and second panel 22 is preferably a presetamount, for example nine feet.

With reference now particularly to FIGS. 3-5, the system 10 furtherincludes an elongated aluminum brick ledge form 50 having an overalllength equal to the length of the top 24 of the first panel 20. Thebrick ledge form 50 further includes a first elongated section 52 and asecond elongated section 54 which is adjacent the first section 52. Bothbrick ledge form sections 52 and 54 are generally planar in shape.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the first section 52 of the brick ledge form 50includes both a top surface 56 and a bottom surface 58. Similarly, thesecond section 54 of the brick ledge form 50 also includes a top surface60 as well as a bottom surface 62. Furthermore, preferably the bottomsurface 58 of the first section 52 is substantially coplanar with thetop surface 60 of the second section 54.

A plurality of circular openings 70 are provided at spaced intervalsalong the first section 52 of the brick ledge form 50. At least some ofthese openings 70 register with like-shaped openings 72 in the framemember 30 which extends alone the top of the first panel 20.

The brick ledge form 50 is detachably secured to the first panel 20 inany conventional fashion. However, in the preferred embodiment, pins 80(FIG. 5) are inserted through the registering holes 70 and 72 in thebrick ledge form 50 and first form 20. These pins 80 include a crossslot while a wedge 84 extending through the cross slot detachably locksthe brick ledge form 50 and first panel 20, together.

Once the first section 52 of the brick ledge form 50 is secured to thetop 24 of the first form 20, the second section 54 of the brick ledgeform 50 extends laterally outwardly from the first form 20 and in aplane generally perpendicular to the plane of the aluminum sheet 36 onthe first form 20. Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the framemember 40 extending along the bottom 46 of the second form 22 ispositioned on the top surface 60 of the second section 54 of the brickledge form 50 so that the second form 22 is supported by the brick ledgeform 50. In doing so, the plane of the aluminum sheet 44 of the secondform 22 is parallel to the plane of the aluminum sheet 36 of the firstform 20, but spaced apart from it by a predetermined distance. Thispredetermined distance corresponds to the width of a conventional brick,i.e. approximately four inches.

The first form 20 and second form 22 are then secured to the interiorform 14 by conventional ties and the concrete wall is then formed bypouring concrete into the cavity 16. After the concrete has set, thepanels 20, 22 and 14 as well as the brick ledge form 50 are removed fromthe poured wall. In doing so and as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, thebrick ledge form 50 forms a brick ledge 100 along the exterior surfaceof the concrete wall which is thereafter used to support bricks 102.Furthermore, as best shown in FIG. 1, the height of the brick ledge 100will vary in accordance with the contour of the land 104.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides apanel system for forming poured concrete walls in which a brick ledgecan be easily formed at a desired vertical distance from the bottom ofthe concrete wall by merely changing the vertical height of the firstand second panels 20 and 22. Furthermore, the brick ledge form 50 can bereused on subsequent jobs whenever desired.

Having described my invention, however, many modifications thereto willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains withoutdeviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope ofthe appended claims.

1. A panel system for forming poured concrete walls comprising: a firstpanel having a top and a bottom and a side lying in a first plane, asecond panel having a top and a bottom and a side lying in a secondplane, a brick ledge form having first and second adjacent sections,each section having a top surface and a bottom surface, means forsecuring said bottom surface of said first section of said brick ledgeform to said top of said first panel so that said second section of saidbrick ledge form lies in a plane generally perpendicular to said firstplane of said first panel, said bottom of said second panel beingpositioned on said top surface of said second section of said brickledge form so that said second plane of said second panel is positionedin a plane parallel to said first plane but spaced apart from said firstplane by a predetermined distance.
 2. The invention as defined in claim1 wherein said predetermined distance corresponds to a width of astandard brick.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein saidfirst and second panels are constructed of aluminum.
 4. The invention asdefined in claim 3 wherein said brick ledge form is constructed ofaluminum.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said first andsecond sections of said brick ledge form are generally planar.
 6. Theinvention as defined in claim 5 wherein said bottom surface of saidbrick ledge form first section is coplanar with said top surface of saidbrick ledge form second section.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 1wherein said first panel top has a plurality of openings formedtherethrough, wherein said brick ledge form first section has aplurality of openings formed therethrough which register with said firstpanel top openings and wherein said securing means comprises fastenersextending through said registering openings.
 8. The invention as definedin claim 7 wherein each said fastener comprises a pin.
 9. The inventionas defined in claim 8 wherein each pin includes a cross bore andcomprising a wedge extending through said cross bore.